South African-German energy research collaboration amplifies

PRETORIA - Involving more partner institutions and expanding areas of energy research manifest that South Africa and Germany collaboration remains significant, says the German Embassy.

The South African-German Partnership Programme (SAGEP) launched a study covering energy-related research cooperation between the two countries' institutions on Wednesday in Pretoria.

20 South African institutions and 32 German partner institutions gathered to conclude the study highlighting the following areas:

new business models for municipal utilities;

hydrogen and fuel cell technology;

flexibility of the conventional power plant fleet to accommodate higher shares of renewables in the grid, cooperation between South African and German research institutions and

political support for private sector cooperation between companies from both countries

Klaus Streicher, deputy head of mission at the German Embassy said, "Germany has decided to fundamentally alter its energy supply: away from nuclear energy and fossil fuels and towards renewable energy.

By 2025, at least 40 to 45 % of our energy is to be sourced from renewable energy, and we want to raise this to at least 80% by 2050, Streicher said.

Streicher said he hopes that the study’s findings would encourage more collaboration, support for technical innovations and capacity building among South African researchers.

The conclusion of this study comes amid the controversial time where SA government looks at finalising an energy nuclear deal with Russia, an action viewed by the public to be a waste of taxpayers money.